Should You Quit Your Part-Time Job? 4 Questions to Ask Yourself

As college students, school should always come first. Part of the college experience is (unfortunately) being broke and going out and getting a part time job. The ideal job would pay tons of money with minimal amounts of work! But because we live in reality, we know that to not be true. If you’re not sure whether or not you should keep your job then ask yourself these questions.

1. Is it interfering too much with school?

The first thing my new boss said to me was “work should always come first.” As a person with a brain, I knew that was a red flag and two weeks later I quit. As stated before, school is first. Always. It’s going to be hard working out a good work schedule that flows well with your school schedule. The key is having an accommodating manager that’ll try their best to help you. But if that fails and work is getting too overwhelming then that is a sure sign to quit. As much as you need money your main reason going to school was to be able to get a good job and not get stuck working at a part time minimum wage job forever.

2. How relevant is the job to my future?

As college students it’s understandable to get a part time job at the coffee shop down the street. But as you move into your sophomore, junior, and even your senior year it’s going to be pretty difficult to describe why working at a coffee shop would make you the perfect candidate at a marketing firm. It’s a short quick solution to get you spending money but sooner or later you’ll have to give it up for an internship, which will definitely be much more relevant on a resume.

3. Do I enjoy working there?

Most part time jobs are going to be crappy. Nobody wants to take out trash, deal with crazy customers, and stock shelves that are miles high. But sometimes having amazing co-workers or working in a good environment makes up for some of the menial tasks. I can’t remember how many times I thought “if this person weren’t here, I would never enjoy working.” It’s the small things that actually make a difference.

4. How much do I really need a job?

Not all bank accounts were created equally, so how bad do you really need the job? Most jobs aren’t going to allow you to go home for things like the winter break or summer vacation. If quitting is inevitable and you have enough money to get you till the end of semester, then it’s fine to quit. Sure it doesn’t hurt to have some extra cash, but in the end it’s your call.

Taking on a job can make your plate even fuller than you ever wanted it to be so it’s important to consider these factors before diving head first!